Diabetes On My Wedding Day.

Yesterday I wrote about my wedding, focusing on the parts that meant the most to me: the man I love, our families and friends, the church service, saying "I do," and dancing ourselves silly at the reception.

But diabetes was a part of my wedding day. We did our best to keep it quiet and unnoticed, though, using several tricky methods. I'm like a diabetes wedding magician ... sort of.

First things first: the dress. Wearing an insulin pump is the easiest and least intrusive way for me to take my insulin, and I wasn't about to go off the pump just for the sake of fashion. My solution? Design a pocket to hold my insulin pump, hidden in my wedding dress. I spoke with the seamstress at Ye Olde Bridal Shoppe and she and I designed something that left the pump accessible, yet hidden.

Even if you were looking for it, the pump pocket was almost impossible to find. Hidden along the seam of my wedding gown, it was held shut with a small piece of velcro.

The hole cut in the seam was just big enough to fit my hand into, so I could reach for the pump.

The hole was big enough for the pump to be pulled through.

And once it was free, I could make whatever adjustments I needed and then slip the pump back into its pocket.

The pocket itself was underneath the main fabric of the dress, attached to the petticoat. It was sized to be about half an inch bigger than my insulin pump, leaving room for my hands to reach in and access the pump. We stuck a safety pin to the top of the pocket so that when I reached in, I could feel around quickly for the pin and know exactly where the top of the pocket was located. This made pump retrieval and replacement very easy.

The tubing itself went from the top of the pump, through a hole cut into the petticoat, and attached to the infusion site on my right thigh. I had to plan ahead of time where my infusion set would be located so the pocket could be properly situated.

And during the entire course of my wedding, no one had any clue that I was wearing my insulin pump in my wedding dress. Even my friends who know about it couldn't find it unless I pointed it out. I felt empowered and like a secret agent ... only the bridal version.

After speaking with the florist, she devised a small pocket in the ribbon of NBF's bouquet. This pocket could hold a life saver (as pictured) or even a tube of cake gel. As I stood at the altar, I felt safe knowing that NBF had a quick dose of sugar at the ready, if I needed it.

Diabetes, on the whole, didn't affect my day enough to matter. I danced, ate cake, and experienced a wild array of emotions. But there were a few moments when it required some attention. Like after the ceremony at the church, when I tested and realized my blood sugar had cruised up from 156 mg/dl pre-ceremony to a whopping 380 mg/dl afterwards. (Nerves - they hit me right in the A1c.) Before the ceremony, I was running on the high end, cresting up around 160 - 180 mg/dl and holding steady. And during the reception, I was too excited to eat much, so I let my numbers run higher there, too, to compensate for all the dancing.

I did have a pretty aggressive low blood sugar just before our first dance, but thanks to my fast-as-lightning maid of honor, a glass of orange juice from the bar held me steady as we were announced on the dance floor as Mr. and Mrs. Christopher and Kerri Sparling.

"I'm a little low," I admitted to Chris as the opening bars to "The Luckiest" played from the speakers. He held me close and gave me a smile.

"You'll be fine. Just focus on me. As far as I can tell, there's no one else in this room but you."

Okay everybody, together now: "Awwwwwwww!"
You had a wonderful day and have give me ideas for my own pump pocket for the day that I get married (not in the forseeable future, but still).
Now if I can just find someone as understanding as Chris....
Thanks for sharing all about your day. It makes me smile and makes me glad for you.

Kerri, some days I have trouble hoping. Diabetes just feels so heavy...and then I read a post like this. Amazing day. Amazing creativity. Amazing woman. Amazing love that Chris has for you. Thanks so much for sharing.

Awesome! I think you could get a job working for 007 in the gadgets department (concealment of gadgetry or something of that nature!). I love how you were able to fit the pump into your dress without anyone knowing any differently :)

Good idea for your bridesmaid to have some sugar stash on hand as well for "just in case".

I'm glad that despite a couple of blips with regards to the "d" that your day went off perfectly! (darned low! argh!)

I am so eager to read all about your wedding! I love your writing! As a mom of a 6 year old daughter (with type 1 and on the pump), I am learning so much from you, Kerri. I, too, get teary-eyed reading your posts. Let us all agree...diabetes is horrible...but you, dear, handle it beautifully...

I dont speak english, but I see your weddings photos and I think in the wedding day when my 8 years niece go to the church with her animas pump in her dress. God bless you all your life and good luck. Sorry my english.

Wow! I have type 1 as well. My BF, David, for 5 1/2 years sounds just like your CHris. Helives with the diabetes too, and sometimes I think he is much stronger and better at it than I am ;) You are an encouraging person adn give me hope for our wedding day! With Love and a belated congrats!

Hi. I'm getting married next summer and i have an insulin pen - I'm not on the pump yet (I live in England). Any ideas on how to inject myself? I was thinking of making a small pouch, like your pocket only it opens to my stomach. But then I would be injecting in the same place all day. I inject about 6-8 times a day

I've just started reading your blogs, and I love them! I got married in Sept. and had a "pump pocket" sewen into the top part of my dress (in front of my boobs). The seamstress said it was just like when she sews micraphone's into newscaster's clothing. I can also attest to the blood sugar issues- I was SUPER high on the day before the rehersal dinner all due to nerves. But wedding day was perfect!

I loved this idea but since your such a ninja im wondering do u have any ideas for my future husband he is the diebetic and im totally worried about the toast and the cake and the dancing and just everything i would love to stop worring but this is my prince charming and i just cant help myself. Any help would be lovely.

Great idea! My sister in law to be sewed a leg strap - like the ones the sell on medtronic's website, but perfectly designed to fit my thigh. It attached with a big square of velcro and held my pump around my leg. She even topped it off with lace and a blue bow to fit the "something blue". I loved not worrying about it all day, and I didn't have to alter my dress for it at all. It's very do-able!